Healthy Eggplant Recipes

Diced eggplant turns tender and tasty sautéed with garlic and olive oil. Toss with fresh plum tomatoes, green olives and capers and you have a simple light summer sauce. We like it over angel hair pasta, but any type of pasta will work. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a mixed green salad.

Eggplant, cauliflower, chickpeas and tomatoes are the basis for this rich Indian-spiced curry. Make it a meal: Serve with brown basmati rice or whole-wheat couscous.

This lighter take on eggplant parmesan maintains all the flavors of the classic dish but is baked instead of fried. There are also 11 grams of filling protein in this hearty vegetarian side dish.

This healthful and comforting vegetarian casserole is perfect on a cool night--or any time of year when you want to remember clear, brisk October evenings. Make It a Meal: Enjoy with a glass of Zinfandel and for dessert, Ida's Mandelbrot dipped in a fresh-brewed cup of coffee.

This tasty vegetarian stew, studded with plenty of eggplant and protein-rich chickpeas, is reminiscent of ratatouille. The eggplant breaks down and makes a saucier stew if you peel it before cooking, but you can certainly leave the peel on if you prefer. Serve over quinoa or soft polenta with sautéed spinach on the side.

Spiced eggplant, lentils and mangoes combine deliciously in this Indian-inspired vegetarian salad. Customize the spiciness of this by choosing mild, medium or hot versions of salsa, chili powders and curry powder. The flavor is even better when the salad is prepared ahead. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

Looking for a vegetarian option for your next cookout? This grilled eggplant and portobello sandwich is our answer. For extra flavor, we top it with slices of garden-fresh tomato and spicy arugula. Serve with a mixed green salad.

Protein-rich yellow split peas combined with fresh vegetables yields a hearty, stewlike curry--perfect for a cold winter night by the fireplace, with a loaf of crusty bread. Try any combination of vegetables--sweet potatoes, winter squash and spinach create a sweeter offering. Don't be alarmed by the number of chiles--the vegetables and split peas bring the heat level down to make each bite addictive without being excessively hot.

Served with plenty of crusty bread and a green salad, this is a perfect dish for brunch or a light supper. Roasting is an excellent technique for ratatouille because the vegetables retain a distinct texture, yet the flavors meld. Pay close attention while you are cooking the eggs in the oven; they turn from nicely set to hard as a rock in a flash.

We gave this classic Provençal dish a taste of summer by grilling the vegetables traditionally used in ratatouille (bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, tomato). Topped with grilled chicken, it makes an easy main course for summer entertaining. We like fresh marjoram and basil to complement the flavors, but any fresh herb will work. Serve with polenta and a glass of Pinot Noir.

This Italian-inspired take on an American casserole is about as tasty as a one-dish meal can get.

Grilled eggplant is one of life's simpler pleasures: creamy and rich. Look for medium-size, purple eggplants with firm skins and no mushy spots. This end-of-summer treat will be even tastier if you can find the vegetables at a local farmstand--or in your own backyard!

Layers of fresh Mediterranean vegetables, seasoned with an abundance of bay, garlic and oregano, meld with tender lamb into a luscious harvest-time supper. Serve the stew with rice or warm whole-wheat pita.

Salmon and eggplant team up in this one-skillet curry flavored with coconut milk, basil and lime. We love the flavor of Thai yellow curry paste in this dish, but any type of curry paste can be used--be sure to taste as you go because curry blends vary in flavor and heat. If you don't have curry paste, curry powder works well here. Serve with fragrant brown rice, such as basmati or jasmine.

This recipe combines the flavors of two Middle Eastern favorites--hummus and baba ganouj--in one easy dish. Serve it family-style, letting diners take their own favorite combination of ingredients. Serve with tabbouleh or a green salad tossed with lemon vinaigrette.

Eggplant Parmesan doesn't have to include layers of deep-fried eggplant and mountains of cheese. This healthy eggplant Parmesan recipe has is satisfying without piling on the calories and fat. Don't skip the step of salting the eggplant, especially if you want to freeze one of the casseroles. Salting helps to draw out extra moisture so the eggplant holds up better in the freezer. Serve with a salad of bitter greens tossed with a red-wine vinaigrette. This recipe makes enough for two 8-by-8-inch casseroles (four servings each)--have one for dinner tonight and freeze the other for a night when

Forget the deep-fried, oily eggplant Parmesan that you usually get with take-out. This version celebrates the eggplant with plenty of rich flavor, but without all the fat and calories of the old standby.

Our healthier eggplant Parmesan sandwich uses tender, smoky grilled eggplant instead of fried, so it has a fraction of the fat and calories. To make these sandwiches a cinch to prepare, make sure to have all your ingredients ready before you head out to the grill.

This healthy eggplant and chicken soup recipe, inspired by traditional Serbian cuisine, is seasoned with lemon, herbs, turmeric and two types of paprika. It's packed with vegetables, so the only side you'll need is crusty bread to sop up the delicious broth.

Eggplant, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and green beans flavored with rich Indian spices yields a substantial dish. Make it a meal: Top with plain nonfat yogurt and serve with brown basmati rice.